Energy Bill [HL] 2022-23: Overview

The Government’s Energy Bill 2022-23 was introduced in the House of Lords on 6 July 2022. The Bill was introduced to the House of Commons on 25 April 2023. Second reading in the Commons is scheduled for 9 May 2023.

Five Library briefings have been published covering the provisions of the Bill in more detail:

• Energy Bill [HL] 2022-23, parts 1, 2 & 3: carbon storage, hydrogen, and new technologies covers parts 1 to 3 of the Energy Bill, including carbon dioxide usage, transport and storage, hydrogen production, the hydrogen village trial and new technologies. 
• Energy Bill [HL] 2022-23, parts 4-6: Electricity and gas markets covers parts 4-6 of the Bill, including the Independent System Operator and Planner, governance of gas and electricity industry governance codes, multi-purpose interconnectors, electricity storage and smart meters.
• Energy Bill [HL] 2022-23, parts 7-10: heat networks, smart appliances, load control and energy performance of buildings covers parts 7-10 of the Bill, including heat networks, energy smart appliances and load control, energy performance of buildings and Energy Savings Opportunity Schemes.
• Energy Bill [HL] 2022-23: Parts 11 and 12 – Offshore wind, oil and gas covers parts 11-12 of the Bill, including core fuel sector resilience, offshore wind electricity generation and oil and gas.
• Energy Bill [HL] 2022-23, part 13: Provisions on civil nuclear regulation covers part 13 and sections of part 3 that relate to nuclear regulation, including geological disposal facilities for radioactive waste, nuclear sites where the risk of radiation is low and allowing the UK to join a UN convention on providing compensation to victims of nuclear incidents.

The Library Briefing Energy Bill [HL] 2022-23 Committee stage report covers changes made to the Bill at Committee stage in the Commons. The Library Briefing The Energy Bill and households: FAQs answers some frequently asked questions (FAQs) about what the Energy Bill would do if it became an Act in its current form.

This briefing provides an overview of the Bill, provides some general policy background and stakeholder reaction and highlights the five Government defeats in the Lords where five new clauses were added to the Bill and one clause was amended.